Writing a job ad might seem like a simple process, but creating one that will attract the right applicants, and get your position filled with a minimum of fuss, requires preparation and attention to detail. Here are a few points to keep in mind when you sit down to advertise for your next employee:

It may sound obvious, but ensuring all the relevant facts and figures are included in your ad is crucial, and an easy place to slip up. Giving job seekers as many specifics about the job as possible, such as information about salary, hours and work environment, will head off time-wasting enquiries and deter applicants who do not match your requirements.

But there is more to a job ad than facts, especially when it comes to attracting applicants who already have a job. recruiterdaily.com.au (http://www.inter-sections.net/2008/08/30/how-not-to-write-a-job-advert) quotes advertising expert Mike Beeley as saying that a good job ad will convince people who are currently employed that they are "missing out on something". Beeley also advocates visualising your ideal candidate, then using "the language and the phrases and the sentences that you would use in speech with them in the recruitment ad".

Visualising and describing your ideal applicant can help to focus your ad, but be sure to specify whether there is room for movement here. If you only want to receive resumes from people with certain qualifications, say so. But if you are willing to hear from applicants who do not have the exact skills and qualifications mentioned in your ad, state this clearly to avoid deterring a potentially perfect employee.

A job ad can also be a great chance to highlight your company's personality, but it's important not to let passion for your company get in the way of the facts. This blogger (http://www.inter-sections.net/2008/08/30/how-not-to-write-a-job-advert) analyses a perfect example of a job ad where a company's enthusiasm for their work culture ends up obscuring the actual information in the ad – something that will likely lead to applications from the wrong job seekers.

Above all, putting time and energy into an attention-grabbing and descriptive headline is key. As this article on hrrecruitingalert.com (http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/the-most-important-part-of-a-job-ad/) points out, the title of a job ad is the first thing job seekers notice, and where they decide whether to read further or keep searching. Catching the attention of a potential employee, or missing them altogether, can come down to making those first few words interesting as well as informative.